


Lonely Rabbit

by scarlettholly



Category: Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/F, Fantastic Racism, Kemonomimi, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Royalty, Secret Santa, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:41:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28321071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarlettholly/pseuds/scarlettholly
Summary: Dia feels listless and disconnected from herself and her duty, until two striking visitors from another kingdom entice her with new possibilities.
Relationships: Kurosawa Dia/Matsuura Kanan/Ohara Mari
Kudos: 21





	Lonely Rabbit

**Author's Note:**

  * For [viviandromeda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/viviandromeda/gifts).



> Hey Niamh! I hope you like the fic TvT

Dia gathered herself together before looking in the mirror. She sucked in a sharp breath. Everything about her appearance was perfect but it didn't erase how inferior she felt, seeing the black rabbit ears upon her head, the tips of which had a strip of white. Jutting out from her tailbone (and making anything but specially tailor-made clothes impossible) was a black and white cotton ball, otherwise known as her tail. 

With a sigh, Dia straightened her posture and cleared her throat. She was going to face this day head on. Even if people did snicker and make chide remarks in hushed whispers behind her back. She wished she wasn’t the only animal-kin in the royal place. On a day where Dia wasn’t as confident, such as today, she wished she wasn’t animal-kin at all. 

Ever since she was adopted into the royal family, Dia worked hard to make up for her less favorable traits and be a good big sister. Ruby quickly became family to her and was, rather adorably, the only person who made her feel better about who she was.

There were only a few times Dia ever heard Ruby yell. Most of them were at offensive comments made in the palace regarding the new ‘vermin,’ or some other awful insult. Dia sought to prove them wrong, to make them see she was just as capable as humans. However, regardless of her quest, comments like that made it difficult to like herself or ever feel good enough.

This introspective by the mirror had gotten to be too much. She pulled herself away and stepped out of the room.

The day in the palace passed slowly. Dia eventually ended up in her usual spot, hidden away in the gardens under a grand gazebo. It was a pleasant, quiet place that offered peaceful respite and a chance to study alone. Dia often returned time and time again. Unfortunately, her maid informed her she was needed elsewhere, as her father had requested her urgently. Dia cast a wistful look into the woods beyond the palace before returning.

There was a bit of a commotion thanks to attack by another kingdom.

The kingdom of Aqours was described to her as ‘Animal-kin with a chip on their shoulder from a war long in the past.’ Dia was hailed as living proof of that era ending and opinions on animal-kin changing. Not only was she a rabbit living in the royal palace, but also a princess, second in line to the throne.

It was times like these Dia couldn’t ignore how much of a token she was. Her ears drooped and she felt self conscious. From the way the palace politicians talked about her, obscuring facts, demonising, and making up lies, she knew Aqours would be getting the same treatment. Still, Dia would hopelessly attempt to fit in and voice her hatred for her own kind. No one listened and it only served to make Ruby sad.

The real frenzy was that someone from Aqours wished to speak to the king urgently. He deemed it not worth his time and sent Dia to deal with it instead. He reasoned that she would handle it better, being like them.

Terrified, Dia prepared herself for the meeting, which was going to happen in an hour's time. She had to prove she was able to handle the politics of the palace. This would be a real test. Soon Dia sat at the head of a table and waited, guards at either side of her.

Striding in confidently was a proud wolf, with deep, dark blue tail and ears. Specks of white fur mixed in, creating a sprinkle of stars. Dia was mesmerized. She’d never seen animal-kin traits treated as anything but disgusting or a lesser. However, here stood someone who was truly proud of who she was. The wolf’s ears perked up and she smiled. Dia felt herself longing for something.

Behind the wolf was a beauty just as striking. A golden deer with blond hair and strong silver antlers that shined. They were adorned with beautiful glass beads on a few colorful threads that criss-crossed between. Dia got the feeling each one meant something. Fluffy blonde deer ears were hardly noticeable under the radiance of everything but Dia still spotted them. She guessed this deer must also have a tail of gold and silver and wished she could see it.

Dia ripped her gaze away, forcing herself not to gawk at her guests. She cleared her throat. “Welcome. Kurosawa Dia, pleased to make your acquaintance.”

The deer nudged the other’s shoulder. “Oh look! They sent us the pet of the palace! How nice for them to gather all the beasts in one place.” She turned to Dia and flashed her a beaming smile. “Ohara Mari. Queen of Aqours and delighted to meet you.”

There was a sigh from the wolf; her ears pulled back, flattening against her head. “Matsuura Kanan, and if we're doing official titles, King of Aqours.” Her tail swished slightly as she relaxed. “Also delighted to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you, Kurosawa-san.”

Dia felt blinded next to the confidence and beauty of what she could only describe as pure manifestations of the sun and moon. She blushed as she gestured to the table, asking them to take a seat. They both obliged and negotiations began.

Mari led with all the subtlety of a bull, or well deer, in a china shop. “Listen, I know Aqours and your kingdom haven’t always gotten along. We’re animal-kin after all. However as Kanan, my dearest, will explain in much better terms, you’re ripping up our forests then pretending-”

“We are doing no such thing,” Dia cut in boldly. “That's a baseless rumor.”

“They don’t tell you much here, do they?” Mari was sympathetic for a moment before she glanced over at Kanan. There was a silence before Mari carried on. “We’ve always been a voice against your kingdom's terrible treatment of animal-kin and offered many a home to those wishing to flee to their own kind but... we have little say overall in what happens outside of our borders. However, encroaching on our territory is another thing and we take it very seriously. We push back. That little ‘attack?’ That was us reclaiming lands you thought you could sneakily take.”

Dia felt the way her ears drooped just slightly. “I can assure you we are not encroaching on your territory.” She tried to keep her confidence but honestly she had no idea if that was correct. Maybe this really was happening and Dia would feel terrible.

“Well, consider this our stand.” Kanan flashed her a smile. “Push us any more and we’ll push back even harder.”

“I’ll pass this message on to the king,” Dia replied with a bow of her head.

Mari leaned in closer. “I was hoping we could be friends.”

“This…” Dia stared at her for a moment, puzzled. “Forming good relationships between our kingdoms would be beneficial, I suppose.” Things fell silent for a moment and Dia felt her confidence dwindling. “Though I’m not sure how much I can help.” 

It came off a lot more bitter than intended. Kanan and Mari exchanged a sad look. 

“Are you really happy here?”

Kanan's question hit hard; she'd read Dia in seconds. Dia couldn't help spitting back a remark. “What do you mean by that?” Her ears just dropped more. Kanan was asking things Dia didn’t want to answer.

Mari spoke softly. “Oh dearest… a little rabbit like you, all alone in the palace? Don’t you get lonely? Do they even let you celebrate Leporiday?”

Dia tilted her head. “Leporiday?”

Kanan and Mari both looked so heartbroken. It was a few moments before Kanan finally continued. “You don’t know much about your culture, I take it?”

“Be quiet,” Dia childishly replied. She was losing whatever ground she had. She’d helplessly begun to unravel in the presence of these two. Dia needed to get away from this and fast. “I’ll pass your concerns onto the king. That concludes this meeting.” She stood up, trying to look proud though she wasn’t in the slightest. 

She was met with sympathy. However, neither wolf nor deer made a complaint and they left as requested.

The meeting ended and night followed. Dia was restless. She snuck into the gardens, finding her usual spot and sitting with her loneliness. She was cold and started to shiver. It really put things into perspective. She was never good enough no matter how hard she worked and she knew nothing about who she was. Constantly having to shrink, smile and make small. It was on that night Dia was finally honest with herself. 

She hated it here.

* * *

The King and Queen of Aqours returned two weeks later. They had apparently reinforced their defences and managed to sort out the ‘concerns’ from the last meeting. Dia wondered if that was the case, why were they here?

For some reason, Dia felt almost glad there was a chance to see them again. Pushing such strange thoughts aside and focusing on the meeting at present, Dia decided to take control of the situation and ask. “For what reason did you request this meeting? I had hoped we managed to settle things last time.”

“Improving relations between our kingdoms.” Mari smiled as she answered confidently. Dia could tell there was something else in her voice. That was not her intent at all. “It sure is a shame the king sees this was a waste of his time. Probably doesn’t want to get near inferior and filthy animals like us…”

Kanan’s ears flattened, undoubtedly a reminder for Mari to keep herself in check. The warning was heeded.

“We’re just here to get to know you and your kingdom a little better,” Kanan said. There was a hopefulness to her tone. “Tell me about yourself.”

Dia cleared her throat, narrowing her eyes. “In what way?”

“Your hobbies and such,” Kanan reassured her with her gentle voice. “I know this is stereotypical for a canis like me but I love stargazing.” That caused Dia to wonder, was it really stereotypical? She really knew nothing about animal-kin despite being one. Pulling her from her thoughts, Kanan spoke again. “Also, I have an interest in swimming and diving. Mari teases me saying I would be better off being born a dolphin.... How about you, Dia-san?”

“I suppose I have an interest in music. I always wanted to be a performer when I was younger. I admired a group named _μ's_ for how free they felt.” Dia answered. Mari shot her a sad look, reading way more into what she’d said than needed. Thinking for a second, Dia realised there was a lot to read into. She was being far too honest with these two and needed to stop that now. Dia shifted the conversation. “And you, Ohara-san? What are your interests?”

“I’m a fan of music like you,” she said it proudly, raising her head. Confidence made her already impressive antlers look magnificent. “I’m quite the talented singer! Kanan is too.”

There was a moment of hesitation while Dia held back. Curiosity wasn't easy to stop. “Really?”

Kanan nodded, her tail started to wag. “Do you like to sing Dia-san?”

“Yes. Though I don’t get the chance to very much. Just occasional musing when I’m alone in the gardens.”

“One day. I’d like to hear you,” Mari said, leaning closer. “I bet you have a beautiful singing voice. With how gorgeous you look, you could dazzle everyone in the room.”

Kanan attacked as well. “That midnight black fur and long silky hair of yours? You really would have all eyes on you.”

Dia blushed, her ears standing up in her surprise. She coughed once, trying to think of a reply. Rarely anyone said anything like that to her, and if they did it was accompanied by a depressing comment about her animal-kin features. A quick fantasy flashed through Dia’s mind. She was next to Kanan and Mari, standing tall and proud. Another idea. She was singing with them in the gardens, shielded from the outside world in an intimate and peaceful moment. Dia pushed all this down wondering what the hell she was thinking. The blush on her face grew as her ears drooped.

“Kanan, I think we broke her,” Mari teased. 

They waited for Dia to gather herself together. When she returned with that practiced perfect composure of hers, Dia brushed right past things. She asked about Kanan and Mari’s lives. They told her all about ruling Aqours. They didn't leave out the negative parts or the hard work but the place still felt like a dream. Most striking of all was the description of a grand event, hosted once a year on an apparently astrological significant date by the canis. In this everyone got a chance to sing, dance and make merry under the starry sky. The canis apparently had events like this every moon, in which the Aqours’ monarchs liked to perform at. 

If that wasn't enough to fill Dia with awe, Mari spoke next. She told of a week long event at the start of winter called Hart, in which deer would celebrate time and space, life and death as well as the changing seasons. It was a relatively reflective and peaceful week, even if Mari did apparently make it a bit more exciting. She gestured to her antlers with a smile and mentioned how shiny they were adorned in Hart’s full regalia. 

At the mention of all these events, Dia had to ask a question that had been on her mind. “What’s Leporiday?”

Kanan smiled. “It’s generally on the sunday after the third moon. A big parade, I think you’d like it.” Her tone shifted as she curled her tail around herself. “It would be nice for you to learn about this stuff… It's sad to think of a rabbit who’s never heard of Leporiday. Maybe we could show you it one day?”

Dia felt a painful, longing ache hit her. She found herself speechless and just glanced down sadly. Kanan and Mari left her to contemplate that one and changed the subject. 

The three of them talked until the sun set. When they bid farewell, Dia hoped they would return soon. She told her father of the meeting and its events but left many details out. For some reason sharing them felt like they would be soured. Regardless, Dia hoped this would improve the relationships between the kingdoms. Her words were relatively ignored.

Dia knew one person who would listen to her. She came to Ruby’s room, knocking on her door softly. Ruby let her in and invited her to sit with her. She seemed puzzled by the visit and asked Dia what was wrong. 

Dia had no idea where to start; she found herself pulled back to the question Kanan asked. “Ruby… Are you happy here?”

There was a look of sympathy etched deep into Ruby’s face. “Yes... Why?”

“N-no reason,” Dia lied, scratching idly at her mole. Ruby looped an arm around her, knowing her sister well enough to see that wasn’t the case. After a while, Dia gathered her thoughts and continued. “I don’t know if I am…”

Ruby pulled her into a tight hug as tears started to form in her eyes. “Dia…”

“Really now, Ruby…” Dia enjoyed the warm embrace for a moment. She pulled away to see what state Ruby was in and sighed. “You mustn't cry at every little thing…”

“B-but you’re unhappy…” She paused for a moment. “Is it to do with your meetings with the Aqours’ monarchy?”

Dia nodded slowly as her ears drooped. She sighed, not knowing how to get her cluttered mind in order. “I just don’t feel like I belong here.”

“You do,” Ruby reassured her but she couldn’t ignore the reality of things. “I’m sorry though and… I-If you’re really not happy then…” Ruby trailed off, not knowing what to say. 

“It’s alright…” Dia said. With Ruby by her side it made things a little easier but the longing of another life faintly lingered. She pushed it down deep.

“W-when I rule, I promise I’m going to make this kingdom a welcoming place for animal kin.” 

“That would be nice…” Dia hummed, smiling just slightly.

* * *

Kanan and Mari returned the next week and the one after that. Dia found herself looking forward to it; she longed to see them more but would never voice these thoughts. This time, it was going to be extra special. Today Dia wanted to show them both her favourite spot in the palace and let them both see a little more into her life. They followed her as she led them to the gardens. 

There was a pleased smile on her face as she sat down on the bench with them underneath the shelter and privacy of the gazebo. 

Mari looked at her before shuffling closer. “It’s nice here.” She gently reached a hand up and scratched behind Dia’s ears. “That look on your face is so cute.”

Offended, Dia pulled away. “What are you saying? And d-don’t touch my ears!”

Mari ignored her till Kanan gave her a warning look then she stopped. “They’re so soft, though! You can touch my antlers if you like.” 

Dia stared at them for a second, trying to work out how many beads there were on the interconnecting cris-cross of strings this time. “I’m fine, thank you… Although, I would like to ask about…” She gestured vaguely, not knowing what it was called or how to word what she wanted to say.

“Oh yes.” Mari smiled. “Today’s rather boring so I only have three heart threads with a total of… Forty seven cervineans. The name for the little beads. You can take a closer look if you like.” Dia couldn't resist. Each one was made out of intricate and beautiful glass, a miniature world that took her breath away. Mari pointed to two on the front of each of her antlers. “Kanan made these for me when we got engaged.”

“It took _so_ many tries to make a pair good enough and even then...” Kanan laughed, curling her tail around herself and smiling adoringly at Mari.

“Stop worrying. They are _amazing.”_

Dia hesitated for a moment. “Those two are like an engagement ring, I take it?”

Kanan nodded. “I like to take part in the bits of her culture that I can and she does the same with mine. Canis are a lot more closed off though. Since I took Mari as my mate she’s been able to take part more, and there are some ceremonies just for lovers.”

“I see…”

“There's a lot of howling with pleasure underneath the full moon,” Mari added in with a wink that Dia couldn’t understand the meaning of. 

A few seconds later she caught it and blushed profusely. “Why are you telling me such a thing?”

Mari teased her more. “You seemed interested. It’s okay, I was curious too and delighted to find out the answers.” Now, both Kanan and Dia’s faces were beat red as Mari giggled. She was enjoying teasing them so much. She calmed down a little and sighed. “Oh, speaking of making some noise! I wanted to do a little trio singing performance, what do you say?”

Dia hesitated, looking around before clearing her throat. “I suppose I could sing one song…” Kanan and Mari gestured for Dia to suggest something. Nervously, Dia suggested a song that she hoped they would both know. “Tousou meisou mobius loop?” 

When she was a child, Dia had once heard a group of animal-kin performers sing it and fell in love with the song. It wasn’t looked upon very favorably by people in the palace but Dia learned it was very old and had something to do with the unification of the animal-kin eons ago. Ruby gave Dia a music box that played the song as a gift for her birthday. She treasured it and often its tune filled her room, giving Dia some comfort.

After suggesting the song, Dia awaited Kanan and Mari’s reaction. They both looked absolutely delighted. Mari looped her arm around Dia’s. “After you, Dia-chan.”

Ignoring the slight blush, Dia cleared her throat and started to sing. Kanan and Mari joined in on their cues, singing their parts perfectly. Dia was taken aback by how amazing they were. Putting her all into it, Dia was having fun and by the end of the performance she had a delighted smile on her face.

Kanan stared at her, almost entranced. “You have such a pretty voice.”

Dia blushed, her ears drooped in her embarrassment. To make things worse, Mari spoke. “She really does! I want nothing more than to show her off to the whole kingdom!”

Faltering and getting flustered, Dia reacted unfavourably. “Be quiet! I don’t want to hear such remarks from either of you!”

Kanan and Mari just found it more amusing, and teased her for being embarrassed - one more than the other. Finally after what felt like a painful century, they changed the subject, freeing Dia from hell.

Time passed in the blink of an eye. Night fell and it became time for the meeting to end. 

“I wish I could go with you,” Dia mused as Kanan and Mari went to leave. They looked between themselves before giving Dia a sad smile. Neither of them said a word and Dia’s ears drooped. She hated it here. She wanted to learn more about who she was and who she could be. Dia knew it was an impossible fantasy but she still hoped they’d say something. “Anyway, this has been fun but I have other duties to attend too.”

Mari was the one to speak. “Dia. You don’t have to stay here if you don’t want to?”

Dia bit her lip. Mari was telling her what she wanted to hear but it didn’t make it any less painful. She really wished that were true. Dia shook her head, clearing her thoughts. “Don’t say such absurd things. This is my home and entertaining other ideas is simply pathetic.”

“Even if you’d be happier following them?” Kanan asked.

Dia didn’t have the heart to respond. Kanan stepped closer, slowly pulling her into a hug. Taken aback by how nice it felt, Dia relaxed for a moment. Then she pushed it away. With a sad smile Dia tried to look proud. “Thank you for meeting with me again. I hope to see you both again soon.”

With that, Dia turned and left. 

* * *

A week passed and Dia heard nothing from Aqours. She was really starting to miss Kanan and Mari. The two of them were on her mind. When finally she got a letter addressed to her, Dia was delighted. Opening it up in the privacy of her room, she was greeted by the most extravagant cursive she’d ever seen.

Hiya Dia!

How are you doing? So sorry Kanan and I couldn’t pop around this week! Duties and all that. I made sure to write you this and leave you a little gift from the both of us! Just so you don’t get too lonely or think we’ve forgotten about you. I’ve got some very amazing news for you that’s a secret for now! You’ll love it, I promise. 

Take care of yourself won’t you? 

~Mari 

Enclosed with the letter was a deep red round bead, or cervinean as it was probably called. There was also a little wooden carving of a star. Engraved into it was a sleeping bunny. 

Dia smiled at both the gifts, holding them in her hands trying not to get choked up. It was a very sweet gesture. She kept them and the letter close as she rushed off to find Ruby. Her sister looked at her, a little puzzled at Dia’s excitement, but let her talk about the gifts anyway.

It wasn’t till another two weeks before Dia finally saw Kanan and Mari again. They met in the gardens. Both of them seemed a little nervous and apprehensive of something. Maybe Aqours was having troubles? Hoping everything was alright, Dia waited for them to explain.

Kanan spoke. “Dia… Do you want to come back with us?”

Taken by surprise, Dia’s ears drooped as she started to sadly process what Kanan meant. It sounded nice, but it was a fantasy. Something like that couldn’t really happen.

Mari let out a squeal of excitement. “Oh Dia! My dearest, you’d love it there! It’s very pretty and the people are very welcoming! We’d be happy to have you at our place! If not forever then just for a bit? Let you make your own mind up and-”

Kanan gently placed a hand on Mari’s leg as a little notice to keep herself in check. Mari stuck her tongue out at Kanan in reply. 

Dia never tired of watching this couple and their antics. Life with them… Blush crept into her cheeks as she started to imagine a world of possibilities. She had to remind herself they meant staying at their palace and _not_ with them in their bed. Dia shook her head to clear her thoughts.

“We mean it.” Mari’s voice took on an unusual seriousness. “Dia, if you really want this life then I promise we can make it happen… Just have a think about it, won’t you?”

Dia could only nod meekly. Kanan smiled and pulled her into a hug. When Dia told her to unhand her, Kanan unfortunately listened. She couldn’t ask for another hug so left it at that. Mari on the other hand never listened as she started to pet Dia’s head and scratch behind her ears. For once, Dia let herself relax into it. Closing her eyes and enjoying the touch. She heard Kanan whisper the words ‘she’s so cute’ before also joining in and petting Dia. 

They lavished attention on Dia for a little while longer before it became too much and she yelled at them to stop. They did, exchanging a sheepish look then bursting into laughter. Blushing, Dia changed the subject. She would not stand such treatment - even if it did feel really good. 

Once again it came time for Kanan and Mari to leave. Dia had promised she’d think about the offer but didn’t know what to say. 

That night she found Ruby. She knocked on her bedroom door, tentative as ever when it came time to ask for advice. Ruby let her in, patting a space on the bed for Dia to sit down. “What’s wrong?”

Dia sighed, obliging and taking a seat. “I… I don’t know.”

“Is it to do with Aqours?” Ruby asked, instantly knowing what was wrong. Was she easy to read or was it just that they had been sisters for so long? 

With a sigh, Dia designed herself just to say it. “Kanan-san and Mari-san gave me an invitation to stay with them… And I don’t know what to think.”

Ruby reached over, clasping Dia’s hand between hers. “Dia… You said you were unhappy here, didn’t you?”

“Well, not quite unhappy…” Glancing away, Dia tried to brush it aside. Her ears drooped more than she wanted them to. She had a duty to uphold and this was her home even if she wasn't happy here, Dia knew she couldn’t just abandon all that. 

“I think you should go.” Ruby spoke softly, staring up at Dia with a determined shine in her eyes. “I really do.”

“I can not just-” Dia cut herself off, feeling more unsure than ever. The far away possibilities seemed just a little closer. Almost as if she could reach out and grasp them, pulling them into reality. Maybe it could even help both kingdoms…

Unsure, Dia just fell silent. She stayed with Ruby for a while, her mind racing as neither of them said a word. That night, when Dia returned to her own room, she laid awake until exhaustion finally overcame her.

* * *

The next day, Kanan and Mari visited again. Formalities were shared as the three of them caught up on what had been happening in their lives. Dia let the idle chatter sooth her anxious mind before she started the conversation she really wanted to have. Taking in a deep breath, Dia strengthened her resolve and spoke her mind for once.

“I’d like to come with you.”

Kanan had a delighted smile on her face. “You would? Dia that’s…” She trailed off, not knowing how to put her thoughts into words.

Mari did it for her in her sing-song voice. “ _Amazing!_ Oh yes!”

“W-we have to handle this carefully!” Dia warned, not being able to handle the affection from them. Being pragmatic was so much easier for Dia. “One wrong move and this could cause political outrage…”

“I was thinking of proposing a marriage…” Kanan chuckled, her tail gently wagging before she continued on. “But I think that would end up causing more problems.”

Ears standing on end Dia choked. _Marriage?_ She quickly raced to control her thoughts. “What a foolish idea,” she snapped back. Those weren’t her thoughts at all but they were the words that left her mouth. Rushing to explain herself, Dia tried to perfect her composure. “What I mean is there are many elements which my kingdom would disapprove of, not that I dislike the idea of marrying-” She stopped herself right there. The words she cut off lingered and Kanan and Mari heard them regardless.

Mari shuffled closer, poking Dia’s cheek. “What was that?” Kanan just stared at her, tail wagging like crazy. In that moment, Dia realised this was going to be a long evening filled with teasing. Wondering how she was going to survive, Dia sighed. 

Afterwards, negotiations with her family were difficult; Dia heard the word traitor thrown around about a thousand times. It was very hard to explain why she would be happier there without mentioning she was unhappy here and causing offense. Eventually she worked an angle - something about gaining experience, improving relations and being an ambassador of sorts - then she pushed it.

It took three months before Dia was granted permission to stay at the Aqours’ royal palace. Kanan and Mari kept visiting all the same, but there was a tension from everyone else each time.

On the day Dia left, Ruby hugged her tightly and promised to visit soon. Dia gently kissed the top of her head and thanked her for everything. After all, she was the one person who had stood by Dia throughout her life. She was going to miss her sister dearly, but being with Kanan and Mari would make her happier. Ruby had told her it was okay to feel that way so Dia wanted to follow her words.

She set off with Kanan and Mari, spending her time glancing out of the carriage as they traveled across the lands. Dia felt eager for what new life awaited her in the kingdom of Aqours.


End file.
